Tension device



y 8, 1945- D. L. BALLOU TENSION DEVICE Filed D60. 29, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. fifl/VA 1.544100 ATTORNEY May '8, .1945.

D. L. BALLOU TENSION DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29, 1943 INVENTOR. "pm/,4 4.54110.

ATTORNEY Patented May 8, 1945 2,375,459- 'ransrou nnvrcn Dona L. Ballou, Jewctt City, onn-.,'a'sslgnor to The Aspinook Corporation, Jewett City, Oonn., a corporation of Delaware Application December 29, 1943, Serial No. 516,100

1 Claims. (.01. 242-75) The present invention relates to tension devices.

More particularly it relates to a device for controlling tension exerted on a web of fabric while on the beams of a textile processing jig during the dyeing or other processing of the web.

In the textile finishing and dyeing industry, a jig is a piece of equipment used for soaping, dyeing or washing the fabrics. It comprises ordinarily a tank for holding the dye or processing liquor, cylinders or beams above the tanks on which the fabric is rolled, and rollers within the tank over which the fabric is threaded to guide the fabric from one beam to the other. The fabric is first wound on one beam and passes down into the processing liquor and over the rollers located therein, and-is rewound on the other beam. The motion is then reversed and the fabric passes back and again is wound on the first roller. The operation is repeated, the fabric traveling back and forth until the processing is completed. The operative power may be applied by a clutch engaging with a line shaft or by a motor directly connected with the jig or by other means adapted to impart reciprocal motion to the beams.

It is necessary to control the tension of the 'web when it is run in the manner described from one beam to the other and to shift the tension when the fabric passes in the reverse direction. This is required in order to prevent slackening of the cloth in the processing tank and the consequent irregular winding, twisting pr lapping of the fabric on the beam receiving it from the processing tank. In present practice this tension is effected generally by providing an extension of the'beams to hold pulleys over which a belt is a device. At its extremities are two arms disposed slung. Weights are attached to the belt so as to bear on the pulley of the beam that is at any given time unwinding the fabric in such a manner as to retard the speed of unwinding, while,

the rewinding beam is allowed to run free, thus keeping the cloth at all times in a taut condition in its passage through'the tank. Whenfliowever, the direction of movement is reversed, the weights must be shifted to bear on the pulley of the other beam which then becomes the feeding beam.

Devicesof this sort have no means of controlling the tension and the operator frequently is unaware of how much weight is being applied on the feeding beam. It very often happens that the weights are accidentallysupported a in parts of the apparatus so that the beam is not operator must shift the weight from one beam to the other manually, there is very great likelihood of accidental injury and even death to the operator. The. tension may in fact vary from nothing to lbs. or more without the operator knowing-it.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tension device that requires a minimum of attention from the operator and which at. all times will indicate whether full tension is being applied or not.

It is a further'object to provide .a device that will be easy to operate and which will give the operator-a tension which is at all times controlled and the degree of which is determinable by simple observation.

The device of the present invention consists of a special type of brake band adapted to be frictionally fitted to a channel of a pulley especially provided on an extension of the beam, there being one such brake band carried on each beam.

The brake band encircles the pulley groove and is split'at a point intermediate its extremities and the split is bridged by a toggle joint locking in parallel relation to each other, one arm being considerably longer than the other. A hand screw joins the two arms so that they can be drawn together when the screw is turned and the brakeband will thus be tightened on the pulley channel so as to exert a predetermined degree of friction when locked by the toggle. The long arm of thebrake band is provided with an opening through which passes an arcuate bar suitably anchored or fastened on the dig at one end and provided with a helical spring bearing upon the arm at one end and upon a stop at the free end. Accordingly. when the beam rotates so as to feed the fabric into the jig, a tightening of the hand screw and'locking of the toggle joint causes the long arm of the brake band to ride along the arcuate bar and compress'the helical spring on said bar. of the helical spring will indicate to the eye the amount of tension exerted on the beam, and this The tension is applied at any given time only to that one of the beams which is feeding the fabric to the jig. The other brake beam, rewinding receiving the effect thereof. nn'tbermore, as the M the web as it comes from the :lis'. is set by the hand screwso as to exert the same tension as the brake on the feeding beam but is thrown out of operation by opening the toggle Joint, thus per- The degree of compression mitting the rewind beam to run without retarda- .tion by the frictional grip of the brake band.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the drawings in which Fig. l schematically represents a side elevation of the jig in operation showing the split brake band of the invention on the pulley of the feeding beam in closed position, and on the pulley of thej'rewind beam in open position; Fig. 2 schematically shows a front elevation of the jig partially broken away, pne split brake band being shown in open position on the pulley of a feeding beam; Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the toggle joint, locking device in closed position; Fig. 4 shows a side view in sec- -tion of the toggle joint locking device in closed position as in Fig. 3; and Fig. shows a similar side view of the toggle joint locking device in open position bridging the split of the brake band.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the tension device will be seen to include a split brake band comprising two band elements, the shorter band element I having a short arm or extension 2 and the long band element 3 having a long arm or extension 4.

fore. starting the beams in motion, the operator tightens the hand screws I and 'I' to effect the desired degree of tension, the tension being equal on, both beams. He then presses down bar 8 .of the toggle joint on feeding beam I6, thus locking the ly, the fast revolving beam I'I takes up all the slack of the cloth and keeps the web taut in the tank.

The'action of the tension device is observable to the eye of the operator. As the beam I6 revolves,v

The arms or extensions 2 and 4 are disposed in parallel relation to each other. The two band elements are joined at an intermediate position by a toggle locking device consisting of the forked bar 5 pivoted to band element I at one end and the bar or ball shaped element 6 which is pivoted at one end to the band element 3. The bar 6 is also pivoted at either side between the arms of the forked bar 5 so as to permit movement of bar 6 on an are about its pivot to band element 3 subject to restraint by forked bar 5.. A hand screw I passes through the arms or extensions 2 and 4 of the band elements I and 3. The tension to be exertedon the beam is regulated and controlled by tightening or loosening the grip of the locked brake band by turning the screw 1 so as to draw the arms or extensions 2 and '4 closer together or to allow them to move further apart. A spring 8 the arm or extension 4 moves along the arcuate rod 9 and compresses helical spring I2, thus giving an indication of the amount of tension being ap- I plied which is at all times observable to the eye.

The tension device on beam .II, however, not being in operation is static. The arm or extension 4 does not move on arcuate rod 9' and exerts no pressure upon spring I2.

When, however, the cloth has been substantially completely rewound, the toggle joint of the tension device on beam I6 is unlocked by throwing up bar 6 and the similar joint of the tension device on beam I! is locked by pressing down bar 6'. The power is then applied and the process proceeds in reverse from beam I"! as the feeding beam to beam I6 as the rewind beam, the arm or ex tension 4 moving along arcuate rod 9' and indicating the amount of tensionby the degree of compression of helical spring I2, Arm or extension 4 is quiescent and exerts no pressure on helical spring .I2 since the device on beam I6 is not now operating.

around the shank of the screw 1 may be employed to bear against the tightening action of screw I and to force the arms 2 and 4 apart when screw 1 is loosened. An arcuate bar Bis pivotally anchored to stanchion Ill mounted on the tank II.

Thear'cuate bar 9 passes through an opening in arm or extension 4 of band element 3 and carries a helical spring IZand nut I3 acting as a stop or restraint upon helical spring I 2 as it may be compressed by movementof arm 4 along arcuate bar 9.

As shown in Fig. 1, two tension devices are mounted on two pulleys I 4 and I5. Pulley I4 is formed on an extension of beam or roller I6 which is shown functioning as the feeding beam. Similarly. pulley I5 is formed'on'an extension of beam or roller I! which is shown as the rewind beam. The parts of the tension device on pulley I5 corresponding to indicating numerals L2, 3, 4, i, 6, I, 8, 9, I2 and I3 of tension device on pulley I4 are numbered I, 2', 3', 4', 5', 6,"I', 8', 9, I2 and I3. It will be observed that toggle joint locking device on pulley I4 is closed by'depressing bar 6 and that toggle joint locking device on pulley I5 is open, the bar 6' being shown in raised position. The two tension devices operate similarly but in reverse.

The operation of the jig and the tension devices is as follows:

The cloth to be dyed or otherwise processed is indicated at I8 wound upon beam I6. It is thread- A ed through tank I I in which is a charge which may be dye or other processing liquor I9. The cloth II passes around rollers 20, 2|, 22 and 23 and then passes to beam I! where it is to be rewound, Be-

The brake band of the invention consists fundamentally of. a split band which can be tightened about a pulley groove by the turning of a hand screw. As shown in the drawings, the two parts of the split band are joined by a toggle joint and while this is the preferred construction, a simple tension. Thereafter, it'is unnecessary to adjust the screw and either band may be thrown out of operation by simply throwing up the toggle joint locking device. It can in an equally simple manner be put into operation by pressing down the bar 6 of the toggle joint so as to close the brake about the pulley groove.

1 Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A tension device including, in combination with the beams of a textile processing jig, pul- I leys fixedly mounted upon one end of each beam, split brake bands mounted in the grooves of each of said pulleys each reversibly to the other, each brake band comprising a toggle joint locking device bridging the split in said brake band whereby said brake band may be locked into or out of operation, and arms of unequal length disposed at I the ends of said brake band in parallel relation of said brake band arms and carrying a helical spring bearing against said arm at one end and against a stop at the other end.

2. A- tension device including in combination with pulleys fixedly mounted upon the ends 0! brake'bands split at points intermediate between the ends, one mounted in the groove of each pulley, each in reverse relation to the other, the

parts of said split band being connected by a toggle joint locking device and each part carrying arms of unequal length at the ends remote from said locking device, screw means associated with said arms whereby the degree of contraction of said brake bands upon said pulley groove can be adjusted, and arcuate rods pivotally anchored at one end on said iig, one such rod passing through the longer arm of each brake band, and a helical spring on each rod, said springbearing on one end against said long arm and at the other end against a stop.

3. A tension device according to claim 2 in .which the toggle Joint locking device of the split brake band comprises a double bar pivotally anchored on one half of the split brake band and a longer single bar pivotally anchored to the other hall of said brake band, said first bar being pivoted to either side of said second bar whereby on moving said second barabout its pivot the split in said brake band is opened or closed,

, thereby expanding or contracting said split brake band in the groove of its pulley. 4. A tension control device in a textile processin iig comprising in-combination with pulleys fixedly mounted upon the ends of the beams of said iig a pair of split brake bands, one set upon each beam of said iig in reverse relation to the I 3 5. A brake for beams of textile processing Jigs comprising a split brake band with arm extentions of unequal length at the ends, screw adjusting means associated with said arms and a locking means bridging 'said split consisting of two bars, one pivoted to either side of said split and both pivoted together whereby upon raising one of said rods the brake band is forced apart at said split and upon lowering said rod said i the beams 01 a textile processing jig, a pair of brake band .is contracted andan arcuate rod pivotally anchored on the frame of said iig and slidably engaged by the longer arm of said brake band, said rod carrying a helical spring bearing against said longer arm at one end and against a stop on said rod at the-other end.

i 6. A tension device including, in combination with the beams 01 a textile processing jig, pulleys fixedly mounted upon one end of each beam, a split brake band mounted in the groove of each of said pulleys, each reversibly to the other, a hinge uniting the two parts of each brake band at the'split, and two arms of unequal length disposed at the ends or each oi said brake bands in parallel relation to each other, screw adjusting means connecting each pair of arms whereby the degree of contraction of each brake band upon its pulley may be controlled, and arcuate rods each pivotally anchored at one end on said jig and passing through the longer arm of each brake band and carrying a helical spring bearing against said arm at one end and against a stop at the other end.-

7. A brake for Jigcomprising a brake band in two sections, said sections being Joined by a og le .ioint at their meeting ends and having arm extensions or unequal length at the other ends thereof; screw means associated with said arms whereby the degree of contraction. of said brake upon its beam may be controlled; an arcuate rod anchored on said iig at one end and slidably engaged by the longer arm of said brake band at theotherendsaidrodearryingahelicalspring bearing against said longer arm at one end and against a stop on said rod at the other end; said toggle joint being adapted and arranged to tighten or loosen said ring band sections without disturbing the adiustment settin eflected by said screw means.

- L DORA L. BALIDU.

thebeams or a textile processing 

